Apparatus for wall construction



Feb. 22, 1944. w. 5. MILES EI'AL APPARATUS FOR WALL CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Nov. 26, 1940 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Wan/2M 6'- M459. PAUL A. 1/0/ 7.

I 10 ORNEY Feb. 22, 1944. w. 5. MILES ETAI. 2,342,479

APPARATUS Fbn WALL cous'mu'uou Original Filed Nov. 26. 1940 2 Shee t s-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MAL/AM 6. Mass.

' TTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1944 APPARATUS FOR WALL CONSTRUCTION William S. Miles, Hastings on Hudson, and Paul A. Voigt, Bellerose Manor, N. Y., assignors to Johns-Manville Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application November 26, 1940, Serial No. 367,198. Divided and this application June 25, 1941, Serial No. 399,592

Our present invention relates to building constructions, and more particularly, to means employed in the erection of a relatively low-cost building wall or partition. The instant application is a division of our Patent No. 2,293,743, issued August 25, 1942. It will be understood that the terms wall and partition are employed herein in a generic sense to denote side walls and walls such as roofs, ceilings, and the a modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularlyto Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a wall structure which, for the purposes of illustration, comprises an exterior. vertical Wall. However, as will'be understood, the invention is equally applicable to roof Walls and to interior walls of various types. The wall includes shingles ID of any suitable kind, for example, asbestos-cement shingles, laid over sheathing l2, which has been like. secured to studding I 4. The studding may be Our said co-pending application is directed the usual wooden members, or, if desired, steel primarily to the provision of an improved method channels may be employed, provided with wooden of erecting a wall or partition structure comstrips to which the sheathing is nailed. Alternaprising asheathing layer applied to studs, rafters, tively, clips may be employed for securing the or the like, and a covering of facing elements, sheathing to the studding. such as shingles or Siding strips in the case of Sheathing l2 comprises a material such as an exterior wall, or panels or the like in the case fibre board, plaster board, or the like, which, of an interior'wall. The method permits the though readily adapted to receive the shingle use of a sheathing material which has low nailsecuring nails, does not have sufilcient nail-holdholding properties, that is, which, per so, will ing properties to permanently retain them. The not permanently hold the nails driven into it sheathing I2 may be secured to the studs, as for securing the facing elements, for example, previously stated, by clips, nails, or the like, and a sheathing material such as fibre board, plaster shingles iii are laid in the same manner as over board, or the like. a wooden sheathing. That is, the shingles are A principal object of the instant invention is laid in courses in the conventional way and sethe provision of a fastener applying device for cured by a plurality of headed nails l6 driven securing the nails against withdrawal, and more through the shingles, preformed perforations particularly, the provision of a device of this being provided when hard materials such as ascharacter which can be easily and rapidly mabestos-cement shingles are used, and into the nipulated. sheathing therebehind. Nails I6 are preferably Our invention will be more fully understood of the barbed shank type now conventionally and further objects and advantages thereof will usedfor asbestos-cement shingle. However, any become apparent when reference is made to the suitable type of barbed fastener may be used, for more detailed description thereof which is to example, threaded members such asv belts or follow and to the accompanying drawings, in screws, the threads constituting the barbs rewhich: quired for a purpose later explained. The term Fig. 1 is a face elevational view, with parts barbed fastener isemployed herein in a sense broken away, of a portion of a wall constructed to include all such devices. in accordance with the invention; coincidentally with, or subsequently to, the Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the application of the shingles, the shingle securing wall shown in Fig. 1; nails are permanently fixed against withdrawal Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fastening elefrom .the sheathing by an operation comprising ment for use in the instant invention; the assembly of a nut orclip, 18 (see particularly Fig. 4 is a sectional .view on an enlarged scale Fig. 3) with protrudingsh'anks of nails l6 and taken on-th'e line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the forcing of the nut into engagement with the one stage of the operation; rear of the sheathing with simultaneous applica Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating tion of a pulling force on the nail to draw its a further stage in the operation; head into tight engagement with the shingle In Fig. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale 5 and the shingle and sheathing into tight engage- 7 taken on the lin 6-6 of Fig, 2; ment with each other. Preferably, nut l8 com- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fastener applyprises a spring steel member including a bowed ing device of the instant invention; and central portion 20 and flanges 22 for engagement Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating with the sheathing. Centrally of the bowed portion 20, nut I 8 is out as shown at 24 to provide an aperture for the reception of the nail shank spring tongues 2% for interlocking engagement behind the barbs of the barbed fastener.

The application of the nuts l8 and the drawing of the nail heads tightly against the shingles are performed in a single operation, through the use of a device 35), the operation of which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4-7, inclusive. Tool 38 includes a jaw 32 comprising a claw 34 delined by inclined side Walls (see Fig. 4) to grip the shank of a nail l6 beneath a barb thereon to hold the same firmly against withdrawal movement. Tool 30 also includes a forked jaw 35 including extending tines 38. The tines are preferably shaped as illustrated particularly in Fig. '7 to permit force to be applied on the nut adjacent the nail shank, while allowing sufiicient clearance to prevent interference with the operation of tongues 26. Jaws 32 and 36 are carried by members All and 42, respectively, which terminate in grips it to permit the handling thereof in the manner of a conventional pair of pliers. Members it and 42 are pivoted on each other as by pintle it, and suitably a spring 48 may be provided to return the jaws after closing of the same to an open position.

In the operation of device 30, after one of the nuts or clips it has been slipped over a nail l5 projecting through the rear of the sheathing, claw is inserted on the nail adjacent the sheathing until a firm grip on the barbed shank of the nail is obtained (see Figs. 4 and 6). The grips of the tool are then pressed toward each other, with the result that upper jaw 36 moves into contact with nut 18, and upon con-- tinued movement nut I8 is forced downwardly until its flanges 22 are pressed against the sheathing under the spring action of the bowed portion of the nut and tongues 26 are engaged beneath a barb to retain the nut in this position. As will be readily understood, during this operation not only is the nut l8 forced against the sheathing as previously described, but also, the nail is drawn through the sheathing and shingle as far as its head will permit. The operation is continued until each protruding nail shank is provided with its nut or clip l8.

Although, as has been pointed out above, nails or other fasteners with barbed shanks are preferred as a more positive holding action on the nail is thus obtained, nails with smooth shanks may also be employed. In this case the claw 34 is jammed into contact with the nail shank to secure a firm grip thereon. When the nut I3 is applied the tongues bite into the nail shank and secure the nut against removal.

Referring to Fig. 8, a modification of the invention is shown. In this instance a nut I8, or simply a flat or preferably slightly bowed piece cl sheet metal 52, may be employed to secure the nail. Member 52, however, has slots to define tongues 26, similarly as in the case of the nut H3. Nut :8 or member 52, as the case may be, is first applied over the extending shank of the nail it and a device 54 employed, including jaws similar to those of the device 30, but reversed in position and so pivoted that movement of the grips toward each other separates the jaws. Thus, jaw 56 includes a claw of the type of the claw 34 of jaw 32 of the device 30, and jaw 58 comprises a forked member similarly as jaw 36 of the device 30. In the operation of tool 54, claw is firmly engaged With a nail to hold it against withdrawal, and jaw 58 is moved downwardly to press nut 52 against the sheathing with its tongues 26 interlocking beneath a barb of the nail Hi.

In both of the nut applying tools illustrated the jaws are supported by lever members pivoted on other as this construction has been found most practical. However, it will be understood that other mechanical means may be employed for supporting the jaws for movement in the manner described without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described our invention in rather full detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these details need not be strictly adhered to, but that various changes and modifications will suggest themselve without departing from the scope of our invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What we claim is:

l. A device for forcing movement of a. locking member on a shank, said device comprising a substantially V shaped claw having inclined edges adapted to grip said shank, a jaw including spaced pressure members to engage said locking member on opposite sides of said shank, and means comprising connected lever members extending from said jaw and claw, respectively, for manipulating said jaw and claw to cause relative movement of said shank and locking member in opposite directions.

2. A tool for moving a locking member on a shank, said tool comprising a V-shaped claw having inclined edges adapted to grip said shank, a forked jaw to engage said locking member on opposite sides of said shank, and lever members carrying said claw and jaw, respectively, said lever members being pivotally engaged at a crossing point intermediate their lengths, the portions of said lever members on the opposite side of said pivotal connection from said jaw and claw defining handle portions.

3. A tool for moving a locking member along an extending shank, said member having a generally concave base, a shank-receiving aperture therethrough, and locking tongues in part defining said aperture, said tool comprising a pair of pivoted members, one of said members including a l -shaped claw shaped to fit within said concave base and having inclined edges to grip said shank in non-slipping relationship, the other of said members including a forked jaw arranged to engage said locking member adjacent said tongues on opposite sides of said shank to force said locking member along said shank while permitting free engagement of the tongues against the shank upon relative movement of said claw and jaw, and spring means opposing such relative movement of said jaw and claw.

WILLIAM S. MILES. PAUL A. VOIGT. 

